Work transfer apparatus



March 15, 1960 v. FINSTON 2,928,519

WORK TRANSFER APPARATUS Filed Sept. 21, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 15, 1960 v, HNSTON 2,928,519

WORK TRANSFER APPARATUS Filed Sept. 21, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inrenfur "Hi1 V/croe 54/570 March 15, 1960 v. FINSTON 2,928,519

WORK TRANSFER APPARATUS Filed Sept. 21, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 WORK TRANSFER APPARATUS. 7

Victor Finston, Chicago, 111., assignor to The Meaker Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application September 21, 1956, Serial No. 611,151

4 Claims. (Cl. 198-27) This invention relates to a processing machine and method, and particularly to a load and unload mechanism for such a machine.

- It is an important object of the'present invention to pro- Another object of the invention is to provide a novel hanger bar for work units and a novel load and unload mechanism for cooperation. therewith.

- .Other; and further objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: i

Figure 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic side elevational view of the load and unload mechanism of thepresent invention;

Figure 2 is Figure 3 is a diagrammatic illustration of an electric controlicircuit for controlling operation of the mechanism ofFigure l;

a Figure 4 is a fragmentary elevational view on an enlarged scaleshowing the work hanger; and

- Figure 5 is an end elevational view of the hanger of Figure.4.'

- As shown on the drawings:

The load and unload mechanism of the present invention is particularly adapted to be incorporated in a proca top plan view of the mechanism of Figure essing machine of the type disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 536,866 filed September 27, 1955, now Patent No. 2,869,560 and the disclosure of that copending application is incorporated herein by reference. 4 In the copending case, there is illustrated a processing machine for moving work units through a series of processing-stations which involves moving certain of the work units horizontally between stations, raising other of the work units vertically, transferring work units horizontally in raised position between stations, and then lowering work units to the next succeeding stations. After the main elevator has reached its lower position, a timing relay is provided to provide a'predetermined processing time before thejmachine is recycled. The load and unload mechanism of the present invention is adapted to operate during this dwell period inthe operation of the machine and to return to a rest position before the ma chine is recycled.

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a load and unload mechanism for-use in the-machine of said copending application. Said mechanism comprises "short and long unload arms and 11 and long and short load arms 12 and 13.. Since 1 ment by lift pins 30 and 31 of each arm which are best.

the arms are substantially identical except as to length,

only one arm need be described in detail. Each arm is pivotally carried on a shaft such as 15 for swinging movement between a position such as indicated in dotted outline in Figure 1 where it is engageable with a hanger 19 of a work unit 20 suspended by means of a bar 21 from a monorail 22 and a positionsuch as indicated in solid outline in Figure 1 for delivering-the work unit to a mounting bar such as 24 or 24a of a work carrier such as illustrated in my aforementioned copending application. It will be observed that the hanger bar 19 has an upper hook portion 19a for engagement with the bar 21,.an intermediate hook portion 19b for support by the work carrier bar- 24 and a lower hook portion 190 for engageseen in Figure 2.

In order to disengage the hook portion 19a or 1% of the hanger 19 from the monorail bar 21 or the work carrier bar 24 or 24a, a cylinder mechanism 34 is provided on each arm having a piston rod 35 connectedto a longitudinally shiftable raising fork 36 on the arm which carries the lift pins 30 and 31. Thus in the solid outline position shown in Figure l with the lift pins 30 and 31 of arm 11 engaged under the hook portion of the hanger 19, cylinder 34 is actuated to raise the hanger bar 19' and thereby disengage the hook portion 19b from the bar 24a. A cylinder such as indicated at ,40 is then actuated to retract its piston rod 41 to :swingthe arm 11 into its dotted outline position after which the piston rod 35 is extended.

to cause the hook portion 19a to engage the monorail bar 21. The arm is now free to swing back to an intermediate rest position out of the path of the work units to accom modate cycling of the machine. In mid position, the arms may hang vertically from pivot shafts 15.

It will be understood that in loading work carriers, cylinder 34 of each load arm would be actuated to retract its piston 35 and disengage hook portion 19a from monorail bar 21, after which the arm would be swung to its unload position and piston rod 35 extended to place the hook portion 19b ofthe bar 24 or 24a.

location remote from the plating machine.

from the unload arms 10 and 11, where treated work units would be transferred from the machine, to the load arms 12 and 13 where the work carriers would receive new work units to be treated.

Automatic load and unload electric circuit The unload arms ltlrand 11 and the load arms 12 and 13 of Figures 1 and 2 are returned to a mid position after each load and unload operation, Land in this condition the respective mid position limit switch contacts 56, 51, 52 and 53 are in upper position. With the raising forks or shiftable members such as 36 in Figure-1 extended, limit switch contacts 55, 56, 57 and 58 will also be in their upper positions. To index the monorail conveyor, latch coil 60 of relay LRQ will now be energized through the following circuit:

Line ,61, line 62, contact 63 of main elevator loweri position limit'swit'ch (with the main elevator in lowered position), line 65, line66, contact 55, line 68, normally; closed contact 7 0 line 71, contact 50, line 72, contact;-

' 51, line 73, contact 52, line 74, contact 53, line 75, line Patented Mar. 15, 1960";

work hanger on'a work carrier 76, normally closed contact 78 '0: relay TRP, line 80, l

latch eoil '60andline81. i Latching of' relay LRQ closes contacts 83 and 84. Closure of contact 83 energizes relay coil 87 to cause-energization of-the monorail motor 88; 7

a Coil 9lofrelay isene'rgi zedifromdinefls to line 9-1, coil 9ll' -a'nddine =81 toclosejcontact 93 after-a suita ble timedelay; Relay IR is energized from lin'e'fld to open contact 78 after -a suitable time delay. when -the monorail limit switch contact '95 is actuated to indicate proper positioning of the monorail conveyor for load and th y;

unload'operation, a circuit is completed for unlatch coil 97-of rolay LRQ -froniline61, through contact 84 of relay ERQ, contact -93,contact 95 of=the monorail limit switch,

line 101, unlat ch coil 97 and line 81 to unlatch relay LRQ- contacts 115 and 70. a i i Forward coil '120 of number =1 iunload cylinder 40 is now energized through the following circuit:

121, contact 122 of number 1 unload forward position limit switch, line 124,- line 125, forward.coil-120 and linei *When the unload arm number 1 indicated at 10 in Figures 11and 2 reaches its forward position :shown in solid outline in Figuretl, limit switch contact '122 is actuated to cause retraction of shiftable member 36 throughthe following-circuit: i a

Line 65, line 66, line :126, contact 128 of number :1 unloadshiftable memberupper (retracted) position limit switch, line 130, contact 122, line 132, reverse coil 133 for cylinder 34 and line 81.

When theshiftable member 36 is fully retracted, con:

tact 1'28 shifts totcompletea-circuit 'from line 126 through contact 128, line 135, number 1 unload ar m return positionlimit switch contact 138, line 139 and reverse coil 140 of cylinder 40 to begin moving the number 1 unload arm toward'the monor-ail conveyor.

Whenthe arm reaches themonorail conveyor, limit switch contact 138 completes a circuit 'from' line'66 forward coil 1450f number '1 retractingcylinder 34 to extend the shiftable member 36 and thereby place the outgoing work unit on the monorail bar 21 as shown in Figurelin dotted outline. Limit switch contact 138 also causesenergization of unlatch coil 146 of relay L-RH upon retraction of the arm to its rear position to unlatch relay LRH. 1 v

When the shifatble member 36 is fully extended, number l'u-nload shiftable member lower (extended) position limit switch 55icloses, completing a circuit from line 66, through contact 55, line 68, contact 115, line 150,

contact 50, line 1 25. and, forward coil 120. This circuit' 156 of relays LRJ, LRK, LRL and LRM respectively are energized along with latch coil 112' of relay LRH under the control of contact 110 of timing relay TRG; Coil 158 of timing relay TRG is energized 'when the. mainelevator reaches its lower position and the top and bottom shuttles'start returning, contact 160 openingwhen v thetop shuttle reachestrcturnedpositionand contact 161 opening when the processing machine timing relay times outandcoil 16(1- of; relay LRB is energized in preparation for a transfer cycle of the machine; When TRG' ure l with fork members 36'gextended to swing under r to the right in Figurel to place the hook portions 19a amateur, contacttl ifi is opened to deenergizethe latch -C0il$ 112,153, 154md 155. Y t i The circuits for the unloadwarm Summary of operation The load and unload mechanism shown 'in Figures 1 and-2 includes-arms 10,11, 12 and13 which are'nor mally in'a mid positionhanging vertically. The unload arms 10 ande l l firstuswing to thctleft as viewed infighook portions 19c of the hanger bars. These members 36 are now retracted to lift the work ofl? ofthe work 1 carrier bars '24, after which theunload arms are swung of thelhanger' bars overthe monorail bar'21. Theorem- Latching of relay LRH closes contact 114 and opens Line 65,'lin'e 66, contact'55, line 68, contact 114,:line r a I are extended to disengage the work.

through line- 126, line 142, contact 138,line 143, and

bers 36 are now extended "to deposit the work 'onthe" members :36are then retracted to lift the worklunits off t the monorail abars'zzl, and the arms are swung to the left .to move jhook portions 19b into overlying relation to the work carrier'bars 24, afterwhich the members 36 The arms then return to mid position. a l

Aspwill. :be understood from Figures 1 and" 2, work carrier-meanszsuch as bmzi of themonorail conveyor travel along the path indicated by arrow 40 on one side a of the framework and are indexedtwo positionsunder the control of limitswitch 95 during each cycle of the Work carrier means such as bars;

processing machine. 24and'24a travel in two laterally adjacent paths in the direction of the .arrow 41. A bar 24 and abar 24a may be carriedsby each work carrier of the processing machinefor suspending a pair of work units from each work carrier.

the nearer work unit at unload station 171 from the work carrierjust leaving the last treatmentistationlof the processing machine, while the long unloading arm 11 in its unloading position removes the farther work :unit, at

unload, stati0n172 froma second workcarrier. The long load arm 12 transfers an incoming work unit from an 1111- load station 173 of themonorailtconveyor to a load station 174 at the farther side of a third work carrier, and

the short. load. arm 13 transfers a second incoming work unit from an unload station 175 to a load station 176 at; the near side of a fourth work carrier. The work carriers are then advanced onestep .by the processing machine-to deliver said fourth work carrier fully loaded .tothefirst treatment station of the-processing machine while the 1. In a work transfer apparatus for transferring workunits between firstandsecond supports, a workunit sup porting-hanger-for supporting a work unithaving afiratu hook meansiopening Ltolwardvsaidtfirst support for engage ment with said first support, having a second hookmeans opening-toward; said,second support for engagement with- "saidsecond support andha ving' a third hook means open-- ing generally downwardly, a framework, arm means ,swingably mounted on said framework for movement between a firstposition in operative relation tosaidfirst 11 and the load arms 12 and 13 operate in the manner described for the num- 7 her 1 unload arm 10 except that the movement of the arms 12 and 13 is opposite to that of the unload arms as t a will be apparent from an inspection of the electric circuit.

Incachcycle of the processing machine the shortunload arm 10in its unload position removes support and a second position in operative relation to said second support, shiftable lifting means carried by said arm means comprising a yoke having lift pins extending inwardly from opposite sides thereof and operative to engage said third hook means when said hanger is supported by said first support and said arm means is in said first position, means mounting said yoke for longitudinal reciprocation on said arm means, said lift pins being operative upon retraction of said yoke in first position of said arm means to lift said hanger to disengage said first hook means from said first support, said lift pins being operative in second position of said arm means upon extension of said yoke to lower said hanger to engage said second hook means with said second support, said lift pins being operative in extended position of said yoke means to swing clear of said third hook means leaving said hanger on said second support, means for actuating said lifting means to retract said yoke to disengage said first hook means from said first support in first position of said arm means and for extending said yoke to engage said second hook means with said second support in second position ofsaid arm means, and means for swinging said arm means between said first and second positions synchronized with said actuating means to move a hanger from said first support to said second support.

2. In a work transfer apparatus for transferring work units between first and second supports, a framework, arm means swingably mounted on said framework for movement between a first position in operative relation to said first support and a second position in operative relation to said second support, shiftable lifting means carried by said arm means comprising a yoke for movement between a an extended and a retracted position, said yoke having position with said yoke in extended position, for actuating said shifting means to move said yoke to retracted position to detach a work unit from the first support, for actuating said swinging means to move said arm to its second position, and for thereafter actuating said shifting means to move said yoke to its extended position to engage the work unit with the second support.

3. In a work transfer apparatus for transferring work units, first and second supports, a frame work, arm means swingably'mounted on said framework between said first and second supports for swinging movement in a lateral direction directly between and in alignment with said first and second supports between a first position in laterally spaced aligned relation to said first support and a second position in laterally spaced aligned relation to the second support, shiftable lifting means carried by said arm means for movement between an extended and a retracted position, means carried by said arm means for shifting said shiftable lifting means between said retracted and said extended position, means connected to said framework and to said arm means for swinging said arm means between said first and said second position, and control means for actuating said swinging means to move said arm means to itsfirst position with said shiftable lifting means in extended position, for actuating said shifting means to move said shiftable lifting means to retracted position to lift a work unit off of said first support, for actuating said swinging means to move said arm means to its second position, and for thereafter actuating said shifting means to move said shiftable lifting means to its extended position to deposit the work unit on the second support. p

4. In a work transfer apparatus for transferring work units between first and second supports, a work unit supporting hanger for supporting a work unit and having a first hook means opening toward said first support for engagement with said first support. having a second book means opening toward said second support for engagement with said second support and having a third hook means opening generally downwardly, a framework-arm means movably mounted on said framework for movement between a first position in operative relation to said first support and a second position in operative relation to said second support, lifting means carried by said arm means and operative to engage said third hook means when said hanger is supported by said first support and said arm means is in said first position, means for retracting said lifting means in firstposition of the arm means a to lift the hanger and disengage said first hook means from said first support, means for extending said lifting means in second position of said arm means to lower said hanger to engage said second hook means with said second support, said lifting means being operative in extended position to swing clear of said third hook means leaving said hanger on said second support, and means for controlling the actuation of said arm means and lifting means to transfer said hanger from said first support to said second support.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS t, s am. 

